Assam gangrape: Has Nirbhaya failed to wake us up?

Lakhimpur (Assam), Nov 27: The brutal rape and mutilation of the 31 year old woman in a moving auto is viral now, so much so that the protests against assailants and the administration is gradually taking the form of the Nirbhaya movement in Delhi.

There were several instances that reminded one of the Delhi gangrape case in 2012, but what saddens one is that the incident still failed to open a few eyes.

True that the judgement in the Nirbhaya case was considered a landmark one that was supposed to be a learning lesson for all, but for a few like the assailants here. They continue to roam scot free, unfazed by the nation's demands for a safe country.

Nirbhaya and Assam gangrape: Case study

Location of the crime: Nirbhaya was raped and mutilated in a moving bus at night at 9:30 pm on her way back home after a late night movie. The gangrape victim in Assam was raped in a moving auto while she was on her way to pick up her daughter from school.

Number of assailants: There were 6 assailants in Nirbhaya's case, one of them juvenile and the most brutal of the lot. However, in the case of Assam gangrape, there were four people who committed the henious crime. It is also not confirmed about the age of the assailants as they still roam scotfree.

Brutality: The modus operandi of the assailants was the same in both the cases. While Nirbhaya was allegedly penetrated by an iron rod, the woman in Assam was beaten up brutally by one.

Severe injuries were found in Nirbhaya's uterus, intestine, genitals and private parts. In fact, her intestines were pulled out by one of the assailants. In Assam too injuries were found all over the victim's body and her eyes were gouged out. Both the victims were later flung out from the moving vehicle.

Call for help? The woman in Assam did call for help, but was ignored by the passer-bys. In Nirbhaya's case, her friend tried to protect her, but was beaten and gagged and tied in the bus.

Help from police? In both the cases, the police reacted sluggishly. In Nirbhaya's case, the police was more bothered with the jurisdiction under which the rape happened rather than taking the victim to the hospital. In Assam too, police is waiting for the post-mortem report of the victim to decide its next step.